Dance Pro Gleb Savchenko Interviewed About DWTSRussia And Partner Adelina Sotnikova

Many of you have been following our journey with Gleb Savchenko as he dances on Dancing With The Stars Russia this season. Well, you might find this new interview with the Ice Network interesting as Gleb talks of how he got a chance to dance on the show with Adelina Sotnikova. He also discusses what rehearsals with her have been like, her strengths and weaknesses, and much more. Be sure to read the full interview and stay tuned. We’ll be making a new post on Gleb and Adelina for Week 4 of Dancing With The Stars Russia on Saturday!

ETA: Note how DWTS Russia is a charity project and that the money is donated to help children! Awesome!

Icenetwork: Although you are Russian, you’re mostly based in Los Angeles. How did you get the prime assignment of partnering Adelina Sotnikova?

Savchenko: When I knew that there was a chance for me to dance with Adelina, I got really excited, but I still had to think about it because it’s a big change for me to move from L.A. for such a long time. One very important thing made my decision easier: when I learned that DWTS Russia was a charity project and that the money would be donated to help children. After that, I didn’t have to think about it too long. Plus, Adelina is an Olympic champion, and I have a good chance to do well in this competition.

Icenetwork: How much time did you get to practice together before the first show?

Savchenko: We practiced for two weeks before the first show, but it wasn’t every day. She had other commitments and shows.

Icenetwork: How have your experiences on the U.S. DWTS helped prepare you for the Russian version?

Savchenko: It’s amazing how most of the countries have DWTS and all of them are so different. I still would say that the U.S. version is the best! I had an opportunity to be a part of it for three seasons. I’ve learned a lot being on the show, not just different dance styles, but in many other areas: how the production works, how they shoot the show.

Being a pro on the Russian version will give me a good chance to show what I’ve learned and how I can teach Adelina, producing a good quality of dancing and making a good show.

Icenetwork: What are your impressions of Adelina?

Savchenko: She works very hard, like a real champ; [she’s] very focused and will not quit until it’s done perfectly. We established good communication between us, and I treat her like my younger sister.

Icenetwork: She is a singles skater and, therefore, doesn’t have much partnering experience. What have been some of her challenges in doing partner work and what has she been a natural at doing?

Savchenko: She has a natural movement and great coordination, and is very musical. She’s never danced with a partner before, but it feels like it’s not a problem for her; she picks [things] up very fast. I’m working on improving her footwork, dance technique and posture.